Claude Preston Burch

SHREVEPORT, LA - A service for Claude Preston Burch, 76, will be at 1:00 p.m. Friday, August 18, 2017, at Emmanuel Baptist, Shreveport, LA with Dr. Chad Hardbarger officiating. Interment will be at Centuries Memorial Park, Shreveport, LA. The family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Thursday at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 1815 Marshall St., Shreveport, LA.

Claude was born October 19, 1940, in Springhill, LA to Ruth Eileen Turley Burch and Claude Pendelton Burch and passed away August 15, 2017, in Shreveport, LA. Claude graduated from Pascagoula High School in 1958, and has never missed a reunion. He and his wife, Sue met when he worked at W.F. Bealls and she was in beauty school. He became a hairdresser in 1973 and opened his first salon in 1979, The Hair Shapers in St. Vincent Mall. He then began to lose his eyesight from diabetes that they found out he had at the age of 12, he then opened Shreveport Academy a Beauty School in Shreveport and then took another partner and opened Guy's Academy in 1982 on Youree Dr. in Shreveport, there was a fire in 2003 that destroyed the building there and the business was moved to Shreve City where it is still successfully teaching today. He was a member of the State and National School Owners Association. Being a diabetic for 65 years and blind for 35 years never changed him in any way, he and his wife were outgoing and loved to travel some of the special places were Spain, Australia, France, Germany, Mexico, Jamaica, Canada, and from California to New York. He was a member of the Gideon and spoke in many churches. Claude was a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church where he had taught Sunday school, and was a member of the Unity Class. He is more alive today than he has ever been. Claude is whole again no more suffering or pain, he is happy and celebrating and seeing all God's Glory.

Preceding Claude in death were his parents. Left to cherish his memory is his wife of 55 years, Sue Patton Burch of Shreveport, LA; son, Claude Patrick Burch of Shreveport, LA; daughter, Tina Kathryn Burch of Kansas City, MO; grandchildren, Austin Riley DelMonte Burch, Victoria Nicole Burch, and Cody Preston Burch; step-brother, Garry Wayne May; half-brother, Aucie Daniel Collins; half-sister, Bettie Collins Crisler; and brother-in-law, George Patton and wife, Suzanne; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins.

Honoring Claude as pallbearers will be Herman Palmer, Ken Hunt, George Smith, Charles Shirley, Austin Burch and George Patton. Honorary pallbearers will be John Willburn and Cody Burch.

A special thanks to Amedisys Hospice especially Mike, many caregivers and Buheia Williams, and Stacey Price that have been caring for him the last year.

The family would like to suggest memorials to be made to Emmanuel Baptist Church, 5850 Buncombe Rd. Shreveport, LA, American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 15829, Arlington, VA 22215, or Gideon's International, P.O. Box 97251, Washington, DC 20090-7251